Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue

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Reference
X550/5/3/1801
Title
WAR DIARY FOR JANUARY 1918 1 Jan 1918 - trenches near Villers-Plouich Battalion in line. Bn. H.Q. R.4.a.3.3. [Map References Sheet 5/c.S.E.& N.E.] 2 Jan 1918 Lieut. C.Keeth-Johnson [sic] M.C. & 2/Lieut W.D.F.Smith, Gassed. 2/Lieut. A.V.Clark wounded (since died of wounds). 3 Jan 1918 - Havrincourt Relieved by 7th South Lancashire. & 7th Kings Own Regt (56th Inf. Bde.) Battalion came into Div. reserve in HAVRINCOURT WOOD. 10 Jan 1918 - trenches near Villers-Plouich Relieved NELSON BATT. (189 Bde) Bn. H.Q. R.8.c.8.2. 13 Jan 1918 - counter attack area near Villers-Plouich Relieved in front line by 1st Artists & withdrawn to counter attack area. Bn. H.Q. R.7.d.7.4. 16 Jan 1918 - front line near Villers-Plouich Relieved 1/4th K.S.L.I. in front line. Bn. H.Q. R.8.d.75.85. 18 Jan 1918 - Metz-en-Couture Relieved by NELSON Bn & withdrawn to METZ. 2/Lieut G.W.CHILDS wounded (since died of wounds). 22 Jan 1918 - Beaulencourt Moved by light railway to BEAULENCOURT (V.Corps Reserve Area). 2/Lieut G.W.CHILDS died of wounds. 23 Jan 1918 Training commenced. 26 Jan 1918 G.O.C. 190th Bde. inspected batt. & transport. 30 Jan 1918 2nd Lieut W.D.F. Smith rejoined. Casualties Jan.1918 Killed 16 O.R. Died of wounds 2 off. Wounded 39 O.R. Gassed 2 off. 26 O.R. Reinforcements Jan. 111 O.R. APPENDIX I. HONOURS AND AWARDS The following have been awarded the Military Cross: - Captain L.G. Plumbly. "A" Company. 2/Lieut.A.V. Clark (Posthumus [sic]) "B" Company. No.5914 R.S.M. Theobald. The following N.C.O. has been awarded the Military Medal : - 37099 Sergt. Trowell, L. "B" Company. The Following Messages are between Captain Spicer of B Company and other Officers - they were found mixed up with the 1st Battalion War Diary [X550/2/5] - see also entries for Dec 1917 From O C B Coy To Adj NOBLE Situation Report ARTILLERY At 8 and 11 pm enemy shelled Sunken road at R.4.a.8.6. and Trench junction R.4.a.60.65 for four minutes (4.2") 30867 Pte J.A.Prior M.G.keep traversing along my front other-wise all is quiet Wind N.E. 1.30 am 1-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt O C B Coy NOBLE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From O C B Coy To Adj NOBLE Work done Report Continued consolidating along E bank of Sunken road from R.4.b.0.9. to R.4.a.8.1. WIRING Single fence of Barb wire from Cable Trench R.4.a.85.10 to R.4.a.90.60. (380 yds) with four yard gap every 100 yds. 1-1-18 7.15 am F.T.Spicer Capt OC B Coy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O C B Coy To Adj.NOBLE Situation Report ARTILLERY Quiet Wind E. Aeroplanes. Enemy aeroplanes have been active during the morning flying high. Individual movement can be seen in EAGLE AVENUE about R.[4?].b.7.2. 1.30 pm 1-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt OC B Coy NOBLE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Spicer 100 men of a Cyclist Coy. are being brought up by an RE Officer (Mell or Wragge) to wire tonight. I should like to wire CABLE TRENCH with concertina wire if this could be done but it will have to be using small parties. Could the posts do it for themselves? Please start the remainder of wiring party wiring CAMOUFLAGE ROAD from Cable Trench NorthWards. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O.C. B Coy To Adj NOBLE Work Done Report WIRING 1 N.C.O. and 8 men covering front for R.E. from 8 pm to 12 mid night. Put one roll concertina wire in from [sic] of post along Cable trench. remainder of Coy continued saping [sic] out from E Bank of Sunken road, and making T trenches. 2-1-18 7.10 am F.T.Spicer Capt O.C. B Coy NOBLE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O.C. B Coy To Adj NOBLE Intelligence Report ARTILLERY (Hostile) Artillery now much quieter. Trench about R.4.a.60.65 received a f[ew] rounds during the morning. MG At 8 pm enemy opened heavy M[G] fire on our wiring party. 1 M.G. was active all night LIGHTS Between 6 & 10 pm enemy fired n[o] Very lights. MOVEMENT Individual movement was seen du[ring] the day along EAGLE AVENUE at R.4.b.60.25. 7.15 am 2-1-18 F.T.Spicer OC B Coy NOBL[E] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statement of work in Hand Work in progress Company frontage Wiring Camouflage Rd, 30 yds in front of trench At present there are two lines of (Barb) [unreadable] wire and one line in between of [unreadable] concertina wire Depth of wire about 4 yds. Work on trenches on [sic] Sunken road. Saping [sic] out 8 yds & then digging T trench 12 yds long. 7 of these saps have been commenced. 3-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt Officer Handing Over [rest unreadable] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O C B Coy. To Adj NOBLE Work Done Report WIRING 1 N.C.O. and 8 men covering party fro[m] 8 pm to 12.15am WORK ON TRENCH Remainder of Coy continued work on Saps & T trenches. have commenced 7 saps on company frontage, Three of which are nearly comple[te] Also worked on widening and deepening Cable Trench to Advance post. am 3-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt O C B Coy NOBLE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O C B Coy To Adj NOBLE Inteligence [sic] Report ARTILLERY (HOSTILE) Artillery shelled trench junction at R.4.a.60.65 and also trench to R.4.a.35.55 at 9.45am 1 pm and 1.45pm (about 20 rds each tim[e)] M.G. (HOSTILE) At 7 pm M.G. was active at R[4].d.70.25 (in EAGLE AVENUE) LIGHTS Enemy fired many Very lights between 6 and 10 p.m. Between 5 and 6.30pm or Engines or Trains could be plainly heard in the direction of MARCOING. 6.55 am 3-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt O C B Coy NOBLE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Patrol Report Strength of Patrol: 1 Officer 2/Lt.Hayes Time: 6.50 p.m. 3-1-18 Purpose: To find out if enemy are digging a trench in front of Sunken road which runs through R.4.b.7.0. Also to try & locate enemy. Remarks & Information: Patrol left Trench at R.4.d.85.20 at 6.50 P.M. and proceeded due E for 200 yds when I heard sounds of talking & digging [two unreadable words] crawled forward & was fired on by a M.G. I reached point about R.4.d.50.55. the enemy were digging about R.4.b.50.65. They appeared to be digging a post. A.Hayes 2/Lt Officer i/c Patrol --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O C B Coy Intelligence Report from 7 am 2-1-[18] to 7 am 4-1-18 [sic] ARTILLERY (HOSTILE) From 9.15 am to 9.17 enem[y] put down 2 minutes light barrage on From [sic] line. At 11 am enemy shelled trench junction at R.4.a.60.54 (12R42) MOVEMENT Individual movement was seen dur[ing] the morning along trench (EAGLE) at R.4.b.70.25. AEROPLANE. An EA flew low along our lines between 9 & 9.30 am. Our Aeroplanes were also acti[ve] & were heavily fire [sic] on by M.G. 3-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt Officer Handing Over ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From O.C. B Coy To Officer Commanding NOBLE Sir I have the honour to recommend 2Lt A.V.Clark for his good work and Gallantry during the enemy Attack on the 30/31st Dec 1917. He was in charge of four posts along CABLE Trench in R.4.b; at 7.30 am the enemy Attacked and drove in his advance post, he at once collected this section and retook this post again he was driven back, he again collected another section and retook this post a second time, where he remained until he was badly wounded. 4-1-18 F.T.Spicer Capt O.C. B Coy NOBLE
Date free text
1-31 Jan 1918
Production date
From: 1918 To: 1918
Level of description
item